Three dimensional structural support for female pelvic organs in thong underwear

ABSTRACT

A thin disposable insert for adherence onto the crotch portion of a female undergarment for reducing pressure otherwise transferred from the undergarment to the external genital organs of the female is referred to as a panty guard. An anatomically correctly shaped pelvic organ support included within or adhered to the panty guard provides three dimensional support to the pelvic floor of a female. The pelvic organ support and the thin disposable insert provide a barrier between the female pelvic organs and abrasive fabrics of the undergarment. The pelvic organ support provides a porous space between tight-fitting non-breathable undergarments and the genitalia of the wearer, allowing air to flow across the wearer&#39;s skin. The panty guard with a pelvic organ support to prevent infection, lacerations, pelvic floor prolapse, and incontinence.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to supporting the pelvic floorof female anatomy, and more specifically, to a system and method forsupporting the pelvic floor of female anatomy within thong underwear.

BACKGROUND

Female underwear is generally intended to provide coverage for thefemale external genital organs. Female external genital organs includethe prepuce of clitoris, clitoris, frenulum, vestibule, Urethra, hymen,fossa navicularis, fourchette, para-urethral duct, labia minora, andlabia major. Certain female underwear is also intended to cover thebuttocks.

A top view of the female pelvis shows a wider diameter and a morecircular shape than that of the male. The wideness facilitatesparturition, yet also predisposes women to post-birth pelvic floorweakness. The minor pelvis is the narrower continuation of the majorpelvis inferiorly. The inferior pelvic outlet is closed by the pelvicfloor. The levator ani and coccygeus muscles that are attached to theinner surface of the minor pelvis form the muscular floor of the pelvis.The pelvic floor (also referred to as pelvic diaphragm) also comprisesthe connective tissue associated with the levator ani and coccygeusmuscles that span the area under the pelvis. The female pelvic organs,within the pelvis, are not upwardly supported by any bones disposedinferiorly (lowerly). The female pelvic organs supported by the muscularpelvic floor include the female genitalia, bladder, and rectum.

Undergarments for females include a variety of shapes and fits.Generally female underwear includes a waistband, a front portion, acrotch portion, and a rear portion. Certain styles of undergarments tendto show lines through tight, close-fitting clothing, such as Spandex®.For example, briefs, bikinis, and boyshorts style underwear reveal apantyline at the edge and/or edge seam of the underwear. Thong-styleunderwear (including a g-string, v-string, c-string, tanga, or T-back)(together, hereinafter “thong”) do not include a front portion and donot cover the buttocks. In thong underwear, when worn properly by awearer, the waistband encircles the waist of the wearer; the crotchportion extends downward from the front of the waistband and positionsover the crotch of the wearer. The rear portion extends from the rear ofthe waistband to the posterior end of the crotch portion, where thecrotch and rear portions attach. The rear portion of a thong includes astring, thin band or a thin strip of fabric that fits between thebuttocks of the wearer. Also, thongs have an abbreviated crotch portion,which have a substantially narrower posterior end compared to theanterior end. Thereby, thongs reduce the appearance of pantylines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and apparatus capable of providing structural support to thongunderwear and pelvic floor support to female pelvic anatomy is provided.In a first embodiment, an apparatus includes a frame configured tomaintain a shape of the pelvic organ support apparatus. The shapeincludes at least one front vertex, and at least two rear vertices. Theshape of the apparatus is contoured to the shape of external femalegenital organs. The apparatus includes a moldable filling materialsurrounded by the frame. The top of the apparatus is configured to beplaced in physical contact with external female genital organs. Theframe and filling are configured to support the pelvic floor of afemale.

In another embodiment, an apparatus for maintaining the structuralintegrity of a thong undergarment is provided. The apparatus includes apad configured to be adhered to the body-contacting side of the crotchportion of thong underwear. The apparatus includes an adhesive stripdisposed on a bottom of the pad. The pad is composed of a material thatprovides a stiffening of the crotch portion of the thong underwear. Theshape of the pad includes at least one rear vertex wide enough toprevent unintentional detachment of the at least one rear vertex fromthe thong undergarment.

A system for supporting the pelvic floor and protecting pelvic organs isprovided. The system includes one of a panty liner or a panty guard formaintaining the structural integrity of a thong undergarment. The pantyguard includes a pad configured to be adhered to the body-contactingside of the crotch portion of thong underwear. The panty guard includesan adhesive strip disposed on a bottom of the pad. The pad of the pantyguard is composed of a material that provides a stiffening of the crotchportion of the thong underwear. The shape of the panty guard includes atleast one rear vertex wide enough to prevent unintentional detachment ofthe at least one rear vertex from the thong undergarment, once adhered.The pantyliner or the panty guard includes a top layer and a lowerlayer. The system includes a pelvic organ support disposed between thetop layer and the lower layer of the pantyliner or the panty guard. Thepelvic organ support includes a frame configured to maintain a shape ofthe pelvic organ support. The frame includes the top layer of thepantyliner or the panty guard. The shape of the pelvic organ supportincludes at least one front vertex, and at least two rear vertices. Theshape of the pelvic organ support is contoured to the shape of externalfemale genital organs. The pelvic organ support includes a moldablefilling material. The top of the pelvic organ support is substantiallycovered by the top layer of the pantyliner or the panty guard. The topsurface of the system is configured to be placed in physical contactwith external female genital organs. The bottom of the pelvic organsupport is substantially covered by the lower layer of the pantyliner orthe panty guard. The frame and filling of the pelvic organ support areconfigured to support the pelvic floor of a female.

Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below, itmay be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words andphrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and“comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion withoutlimitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases“associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivativesthereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with,contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, becommunicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximateto, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and theterm “controller” means any device, system or part thereof that controlsat least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware,firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same.It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particularcontroller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally orremotely. The phrase “at least one of,” when used with a list of items,means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items maybe used, and only one item in the list may be needed. For example, “atleast one of: A, B, and C” includes any of the following combinations:A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; and A and B and C. Definitions forcertain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document,those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, ifnot most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as futureuses of such defined words and phrases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and itsadvantages, reference is now made in which like reference numbersrepresent like parts:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate various designs of a pantyliner;

FIG. 3 illustrates an isometric view of a panty guard with athree-dimensional pelvic organ support for thong underwear in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a bottom view of a panty guard with athree-dimensional pelvic organ support for thong underwear in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of a three-dimensional structural supportfor thong underwear in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of a panty guard with athree-dimensional pelvic organ support to be inserted into a crotchportion of a thong underwear garment in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a three-dimensional structural support adhered to thecrotch portion of a thong underwear garment in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 through 7, discussed below, and the various embodiments used todescribe the principles of the present disclosure in this patentdocument are by way of illustration only and should not be construed inany way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the artwill understand that the principles of the present disclosure may beimplemented in any suitably arranged system.

Certain thong-style underwear (hereinafter “thong”) are manufacturedfrom materials that comprise chemical fibers and synthetic fibers of lowair permeability. Some people who wear thongs experience an allergicreaction to these chemical or synthetic fibers and develop hemorrhoids(also known as skin piles) or vaginitis.

Thongs often include a seam where the rear portion of the underwearattaches to the crotch portion. When the thong is worn by a wearer, theseam of the rear and crotch portions is generally placed on or near thewearer's perineum. As a result of bodily movement, the thin string ofthe rear portion and the seam binding the rear and crotch portions rub,and thereby damage the skin of the wearer's perineum and nearby externalgenitalia. Thong wearers experience skin inflammation from the rubbing.

In some thongs, the rear portion of the underwear includes a thin stringthat pulls tautly during wear and applies pressure to the wearer'sperineum. The thin string rear portion fits closely against the wearer'sskin between the buttocks. The thin string absorbs fecal bacteria fromthe anal area, and channels the bacteria to the vagina and urethra. Thatis, fluid travels between the anal area and the vaginal area via thetightly-fitted rear portion of the thong. The bacteria channeling effectof the rear portion of the thong produces conditions for urinary tractinfection and vaginal infection. The loose fit of the rear portion ofbriefs and bikini style underwear reduces the channeling affect.

The tight fit of the thong limits air flow to the covered body parts. Asa result of bodily movement, the crotch portion rubs against the urethraand other female external genital organs. The rubbing and pressure ofthe rear and crotch portions of the thong cause skin inflammation(including swelling) and small lacerations, which lead to infection.When a wearer exercises, the combination of sweat and limited air flowcreates an environment for vaginal yeast infection. A thong manufacturedfrom non-breathable material, as opposed to cotton, further ripens theconditions for vaginal yeast infection.

The crotch portion of the thong also fits tightly against the externalfemale genitalia. Thongs manufactured from a flexible fabrics that foldunder the pressures of bodily wear and movement. On a daily cyclicalbasis, a female's pelvic floor can drop down (also known as prolapse) 7millimeters (mm) as a result of gravity, and then retract during rest.This dropping increases the pressure between the external femalegenitalia and the fabric of the crotch portion. Under these pressures,the folded flexible fabrics cut into the sides of the wearer's labia orcut into the wearer's inner thigh nearby the labia. At times, the fabricof the undergarment folds into and bisecting the labia of the wearer,thereby applying localized pressure to the organs normally shielded bythe labia, such as the urethra. Repeated, prolonged wear of atightly-fitted crotch portion of the thong causes urethra crushing.Urethra crushing leads to partial closure of the urethra andincontinence.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate various designs of a pantyliner for absorbingmenstrual fluid (i.e., sanitary napkin). FIG. 1 illustrates a pantyliner100 that comprises the general shape of a long, thin strip rectangleoverlayed one vertex of a triangle that has a shorter length than therectangle. The triangle and rectangle include sharp vertices. The firstend of the rectangle includes two vertices, both overlaying thetriangle. The opposite, second end of rectangle includes two vertices110 a-110 b, both disposed at the most posterior end of the pantyliner100. The other two vertices 120 a-120 b of the triangle are disposed atthe most anterior end of the pantyliner 100.

FIG. 2 illustrates a pantyliner 200 that comprises the general shape ofan isosceles triangle 200 with an aspect ratio greater than one. Theposterior end 210 of the pantyliner 200 includes one vertex, disposed afurther distance away from the centroid (i.e., geometric center) of thetriangle than the center of the anterior end 220 from the centroid. Thewider, anterior end 220 comprises two vertices of the triangularshaped-pantyliner. The triangle includes sharp vertices.

During wear, the pantyliner 100, 200 is attached to the body-contactingside of the crotch portion of the thong. One problem with pantyliners,especially pantyliners 100, 200 for use with thong underwear, is theirlack of ability to remain secured to such underwear and to stay inplace. Thongs have little surface area of fabric at the rear portion andat the narrow posterior end of the crotch portion of the thong underwearfor such pantyliners to attach. The narrow width of the posteriorportion of the pantyliner 100, 200 has too little surface area to attachto the rear portion of the thong.

The posterior end 110 a-b, 200 of the pantyliner 100, 200 is disposed inthe wearer's perineum and anal areas. These areas of the body generateheat and sweat, because the areas are not exposed to much airflow duringnormal bodily movements, such as standing, sitting, walking, andrunning. As a result of the limited airflow across these areas of thebody, heat does not dissipate as quickly as other more ventilated bodyareas. Sweat weakens the strength of the bond between the adhesive andthe material of the crotch portion of the thong. In certain instances,sweat causes the pantyliner to detach from the material of the thong.Additionally, the area between the buttocks is sensitive and subject toa high degree of movement. In some instances, the detached posterior end110 a-110 b, 210 of the pantyliner 100, 200 lightly reattaches to thebuttocks of the wearer. In some instances, the detached posterior end110 a-110 b, 210 of the pantyliner 100, 200 flaps back and forth betweenthe buttocks during bodily movement, thereby providing an annoyance orirritant to this sensitive area of the wearer.

The pantyliner 100, 200 comprises a flat surface on the head-facing topside and on the foot-facing bottom. The flat surface makes thepantyliner 100, 200 apt to fold together with the material of wearer'sundergarment. When the material of undergarment folds under thepressures of bodily movement and pelvic floor prolapse, the pantyliner100, 200 does not resist the folding tendency of the material. Instead,the pantyliner 100, 200 folds with the material thereby adding pressureto the folded fabric that bisects the labia of the wearer.

Another problem with pantyliners 100, 200 is that the flat surface doesnot provide support to the pelvic floor of the wearer and does notresist pelvic floor prolapse.

Structural Support for Thong Undergarment

FIG. 3 illustrates a panty guard 300 according to embodiments of thepresent disclosure. The panty guard 300 provides structural support forthe crotch portion of a thong undergarment. The panty guard 300 providesa barrier between the wearer's skin and the fabric of the thong. Thatis, the panty guard 300 prevents the undergarment from touching the skinof the wearer's external genitalia or external pelvic organs. Thematerial of the panty guard 300 includes one or any combination ofnatural, chemical, or synthetic fibers. The material of the panty guard300 provides stiffness to the material of the undergarment andresistance against upward (e.g., headward, superior) pressure againstthe wearer's body. The panty guard 300 resists the tendency of thematerial of the undergarment to fold and bisect the labia of the wearer.The panty guard 300 can be worn throughout a day and overnight. Thepanty guard 300 is disposable. In certain embodiments, the panty guardis to be disposed after one use. Although certain details will beprovided with reference to the components of the panty guard 300, itshould be understood that other embodiments may include more, less, ordifferent components.

The panty guard 300 includes the general shape of multi-sided shape,such as an isosceles triangle with round vertices (as shown in FIG. 4A).In certain embodiments, the general shape of the panty guard 300includes an isosceles trapezoid. That is, the panty guard 300 issubstantially symmetrical along a (anterior-posterior) center axis. Thepanty guard 300 includes a posterior end 340 and an anterior end 330. Incertain embodiments, the posterior end 340 includes one vertex of thetriangle; and the anterior end 330 includes the remaining two vertices.In certain embodiments, the posterior end 340 includes the narrower baseof the trapezoid between two vertices—the vertices are either rounded orchamfered. The anterior end 330 includes the wider base of the trapezoidbetween the remaining two vertices—the vertices are either sharp orrounded. The anterior end 330 of the trapezoid of the general shape ofthe panty guard 300 includes a circular segment immediately anterior tothe wider base of the trapezoid. The chord length of the circularsegment is substantially equal to the width of the wider base of thetrapezoid. In certain embodiments, the width of the anterior end 330 isat least twice as wide as the width of the posterior end 340. Forexample, an anterior width of 2.2 inches and a posterior width of 0.4inches. The aspect ratio of the panty guard 300 is greater than one.That is, the (anterior-posterior) length of the panty guard 300 isgreater than the (left-right) width. For example, a width of 2.2 inchesand a length of 5.9 inches. The left and right sides of the panty guard300 are shown as straight sides. In certain embodiments, the left andright sides of the panty guard 300 are concave to trace the round,curved contours of the wearer's inner thighs.

The panty guard 300 includes a top surface 310 and a bottom surface 320,both with a same-shaped, same-sized perimeter. The panty guard includesone or more layers of material. For example, the top surface 310 is thetop layer 310. The top surface 310 comprises a material that isnon-abrasive to skin, such as cotton, or other material from which thebody-contacting surface of pantyliners are constructed. In certainembodiments, the top surface 310 comprises a fluid permeable materialthat absorbs liquid and allows air to flow through, such as a cottonweave. A female secretes approximately one teaspoon (4.929 milliliters)of vaginal moisture each day. In certain embodiments, the material ofthe top surface 310 is capable of absorbing at least one teaspoon ofliquid. In certain embodiments, the top surface 310 material includes amoisture wicking material that attracts moisture away from the surfaceof the wearer's skin and moves to moisture down to a lower layer, suchas to the bottom layer 350.

In certain embodiments, the panty guard 300 includes a middle layer (notshown) between the top surface 310 and the bottom layer 350. The middlelayer comprises a moisture-wicking material that wicks the moisture fromtop surface 310 down into the middle layer. In certain embodiments,middle layer protects the female genital organs from bacteria. Forexample, the middle layer includes a material that removes bacteria fromthe top surface 310 and draws the bacteria into the middle layer. Asanother example, the middle layer material includes an anti-bacterialsubstance that retards growth or kills bacteria.

Anatomically Correct 3D Female Pelvic Organ Support

In certain embodiments, the panty guard 300 includes a pelvic organsupport (POS) 360. The shape of the POS 360 is anatomically correct toprovide three dimensional (3D) support to the pelvic organs of a woman.The POS 360 counteracts the downward gravitational pull on the pelvicorgans. The POS 360 counteracts, in 3D, the forces of loose pelvic floormuscles. In certain embodiments, the POS 360 holds up the pelvic floor,helping the pelvic floor bear the load of gravity or forces. The shapeof POS 360 matches the shape of a female's external genital organs fromthe morning's initial shape and position to the evening's shape andposition due to a nominal drop (up to 7 mm). The perimeter of the POS360 mimics the shape of the perimeter of a female's pelvic floor. Thetopography of the POS 360 complements the vertical dimension contours ofa female's external genital organs. The POS 360 prevents the material ofwearer's undergarment, alone or together with a panty guard 300 orpantyliner 100, 200, from folding into or otherwise bisecting the labiaof the wearer. In the same manner, the POS 360 prevents a crushing ofthe wearer's urethra by the material of wearer's undergarment alone ortogether with a panty guard 300 or together with a pantyliner 100, 200.

In certain embodiments, the perimeter of the POS 360 includes amulti-sided shape. For example, the shape of two isosceles trianglesthat share a base (together, a kite shape)—the width of the POS 360 isthe width of the triangles' shared base. The isosceles triangles withinthe kite include rounded vertices. The posterior-pointing triangleincludes an aspect ratio greater than one. In certain embodiments, theperimeter of the POS 360 includes a rounded shape, such as an ellipse,oval, or lens. In certain embodiments, the width of the POS 360 isproportionally smaller than the width of the panty guard 300. In otherembodiments, the aspect ratio of the POS 360 is greater than the aspectratio of the panty guard 300. That is, the length of the POS 360compared to the narrow width of the POS 350 is disproportionately longerthan the length of the panty guard 300 compared to the width of thepanty guard 300. The shape of a female pelvic floor does not vary muchfrom woman to woman, regardless of the height or weight of the woman.Various embodiments of the POS 360 include different lengths of the POS360 to provide greater or less coverage of the female pelvic organs tomeet user preferences. For example, in certain embodiments, the lengthof the POS 360 spans the entire length of a woman's external genitalorgans. In certain embodiments, the length of the POS 360 spans theentire length of a woman's external genital organs and expendsanteriorly (tapering forward) to provide added coverage. In oneembodiment, the POS 360 perimeter dimensions include a length ofapproximately 4.1 inches and a width of approximately 1.15 inches.

The POS 360 is disposed at the center of the panty guard 300. That is,the axis of symmetry (i.e., the posterior-anterior center axis) of thePOS 360 is collinear with the axis of symmetry of panty guard 300. ThePOS 360 includes an anterior end 362 and a posterior end 364. Forexample, in a multi-sided shaped POS 360, the posterior end 364 includesone rounded vertex of the triangle. The anterior end 362 includes theremaining two vertices. In certain embodiments, the perimeter of theposterior end 364 vertices is within, and does not abut the perimeter ofthe top surface 310 of the panty guard 310. In other embodiments, theperimeter of the posterior end 364 vertices meets the perimeter of thetop surface 310 of the panty guard 310. In certain embodiments, thecenter (i.e., centroid; geometric center) of the POS 360 is posterior tothe geometric center of the panty guard 300.

Although certain details will be provided with reference to thecomponents of the POS 360, it should be understood that otherembodiments may include more, less, or different components. In certainembodiments, the POS 360 is disposed on top of the top surface 310. Incertain embodiments, the POS 360 is independent from the panty guard300. As an independent device, a wearer may adhere the bottom surface ofthe POS 360 to the top surface 310 of the panty guard 300, or to thebody-contacting side of the crotch portion of the undergarment. Forexample, in an independent embodiment, the bottom surface POS 360includes an adhesive such as the adhesive on the bottom surface 320 ofthe panty guard 300. In certain embodiments, the bottom surface of thePOS 360 is the same-sized, same-shaped perimeter as the top surface ofthe POS 360. In certain embodiments, the perimeter of the bottom surfaceis larger than the perimeter of the top surface of the POS 360. Inembodiments, wherein the POS 360 is disposed on above the top surface310 of the panty guard, or as an independent device, the top surface ofthe POS 360 comprises a material that is non-abrasive in physicalcontact with the skin of the female genitalia. An example of anon-abrasive material includes cotton, or other material from which thebody-contacting surface of pantyliners are composed.

The POS 360 includes a filling material, a frame, or both. In certainembodiments, the frame surrounds the filling material. In certainembodiments, the frame includes one or more orifices to be into whichthe filling material is packed. The frame forms and maintains the shapeof the POS 360. The frame provides a raised surface for the top of thePOS 360, as shown in FIG. 5. In certain embodiments, the frame providesa flat bottom for the POS 360. In certain embodiments, the framecomprises the top 310 and bottom 350 layers of the panty guard 300. Incertain embodiments, the frame comprises plastic, polymer, or otherimpenetrable semi-rigid material. In certain embodiments, the top of theframe includes one or more pores that provide a via for fluid to fallonto an absorptive material disposed below the top of the frame.

The filling material of the POS 360 includes malleable material thatrides comfortably against the wearer's genitalia. Examples of fillingmaterial include cotton, foam, gel, and gel with cooling properties, orother flexible natural or synthetic fibers. The filling material of thePOS 360 is moldable into the shape of external genital organs of thefemale body. For example, when a hollow frame forms and maintains theshape of the POS, the filling material is flexible to substantiallyoccupy the hollow space within the frame. In certain embodiments, thePOS 360 includes one or more moisture absorbing materials. As anexample, a moisture absorbing frame is packed with a filling materialcomposed of impervious silicone beads. In this example, the fillingmaterial establishes an interior and an inferior layer disposed beneaththe absorptive frame. In certain embodiments, the frame and the fillingmaterial include an absorptive material.

In certain moisture absorbing embodiments of the POS 360, moisturecauses the material of the POS 360 to expand sideways (left-right orposterior-anterior) only. That is, in certain embodiments, the POS 360is configured to maintain a predetermined thickness and does not expandvertically. For example, certain embodiments maintain a 7 mm thicknessto support the expected daily prolapse. In certain embodiments, the POS360 does not expand beyond a predetermined thickness. In certainembodiments, the POS 360 is capable of absorbing at least 1 teaspoon offluid.

In certain embodiments, the POS 360 includes multiple layers ofmaterial. For example, the POS 360 includes a first, top layer of cottonand a second layer of gel. Examples of materials for the layers of thePOS 360 can include one or a combination of a moisture wicking material,a breathable material, an absorptive material, fluid resistant material,a fluid impermeable material, or other suitable material. In certainembodiments, the material of the POS 360 draws bacteria into a lowerlayer of the POS 360, such as a middle or bottom layer 350. In certainembodiments, the material of the POS 360 provides flora to the vaginalarea of the wearer to restore or maintain health of the wearer's organs.In certain embodiments, the material of the POS 360 provides medicine tothe vaginal area of the wearer, such as a drug applied topically oraromatically.

As a specific example, the POS 360 includes a first, top layer ofmaterial with a unidirectional fluid permeability characteristic and asecond, lower layer of material with moisture wicking characteristics.In this example, the unidirectional permeable material absorbs vaginalfluids from the skin of the wearer, and the moisture wicking secondlayer attracts the absorbed fluids down, through the first layer intothe second layer. The top layer is substantially impervious(semi-impervious or completely impervious) to fluids beneath the toplayer, such as fluids within the second layer. If a lower layer of thePOS 360 includes fluids channeled from the wearer's anal area, the toplayer will not conduct fluids up to the skin of the wearer. The toplayer of the POS 360 breaks the fluid channel from the wearer's analarea to the wearer's vaginal area. The top layer of the POS 360 avertsconditions that produce infection and prevents the spread of bacteria.

In certain embodiments, the top surface 310 of the panty guard 300 isflat. In other embodiments, the top surface 310 includes a raisedcenter. For example, when the panty guard 300 includes a POS 360, thetop surface 310 provides a frame to hold the shape of the top of the POS360 and blankets the top of the POS 360. That is, the raised center ofthe top surface 310 complements the perimeter of the external pelvicorgans of a woman. The raised center of the top surface 310 matches thetopographical contours of the POS 360 inserted or disposed beneath thetop surface 310. In such an embodiment, the POS 360 is the middle layerbetween the top layer 310 and the bottom layer 350.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the bottom surface 320 of a panty guard 300according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The shape of theperimeter of the bottom surface 320 a in FIG. 4A includes an isoscelestriangle. The shape of the perimeter of the bottom surface 320 b in FIG.4B includes an isosceles trapezoid topped with a circular segment. Thebottom surface 320 is the bottom of the bottom layer 350. In certainembodiments, the bottom surface 320 includes a material that comprisesone or a combination of the following characteristics: breathable, fluidresistant, and impervious to fluid. The bottom surface 320 includes apositioning adhesive protected by a cover 322. The positioning adhesiveattaches the panty guard 300 to undergarment and holds the panty guard300 in place. In certain embodiments, the adhesive comprises a glue,such as a chemically neutral adhesive. In certain embodiments, as shownin FIG. 4B, the adhesive covers the entire bottom surface 320 b of thepanty guard 300. In certain embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4A, theadhesive covers a majority of the bottom surface 320 a of the pantyguard 300. The cover 322 protects the positioning adhesive fromattaching to an object prior to use. Prior to use, all areas of theadhesive is covered by the cover 322. Compared with the sharp verticesof pantyliners 100, 200, the round vertices of the panty guard 300requires more force to lift the adhesive to detach the panty guard fromthe material of the undergarment. Compared with the sharp vertices ofpantyliners 100, 200, the round vertices increase the surface area ofthe panty guard that adheres to the material of the undergarment. Forexample, at the rounded vertex of the posterior end 340, the bottomsurface 320 is completely covered by adhesive, thereby increasing thesurface area of adhesive attached to the narrow posterior end of thecrotch portion of the thong. In addition to the increased surface area,the full adhesive coverage of the rounded vertex of the posterior end340 further resists lift and detachment, thereby protecting thissensitive area of the wearer from an annoying, irritating sensation of aflapping sticker.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of a POS 360 disposed atop the pantyguard 300 for thong underwear in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. The posterior end is located at the bottom of thedrawing, and the anterior end is located at the top of the drawing. Incertain embodiments, the bottom surface of the POS 360 complements theshape of the layer of the POS 360 disposed immediately beneath the POS360. For example, the bottom surface of the POS 360 may be flat to thebottom layer 350 of the panty guard 300.

The top surface 366 of the POS 360 includes a raised surface. Thetopography of the top surface 366 is anatomically correct to complementor pair with the rise and fall contours of female genitalia. Thethickest portion 510 of the POS 360 is closer the posterior end 364 ofthe POS 360 than to the anterior end 362. The thickest portion 510 ofthe POS 360 includes a central peak, disposed on the top surface 366 andlocated at the centroid of the thickest portion 510. As such, thecentral peak is also disposed at the center of the perimeter of the POS360. In certain embodiments, the thickest portion 510 resembles aplateau. A top view of the plateau includes a round shape with at leasta longitudinal axis of symmetry, such as an ellipse, oval, or lens. Forexample, certain oval shaped plateau tops are not symmetrical about theaxis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of symmetry, and are morepointed toward the anterior end 362. A top view of the topography of thetop surface includes concentric contour lines of the same round shape asthe thickest portion 510, down to the plane of the perimeter. In certainembodiments, the concentric contour line on the same plane as theperimeter of the POS 360 span a length of substantially 2.2 inches and awidth of substantially 1.15 inches. The top surface 366 of the POS 360includes at least two slopes. In certain embodiments, the rise from theanterior end 362 to the thicket portion 510 to the thickest portion issubstantially the same steepness as the slope from the posterior end 364to the thickest portion 510. In other embodiments, the rise from theanterior end 362 to the thickest portion 510 is less steep than theslope from the posterior end 364 to the thickest portion 510. The heightof the thickest portion is less than one inch. In certain embodiments,the height of the thickest portion is less than three-fourths of an inch(0.75 inches). In one embodiment, the height of the thickest portion issubstantially one-half inch (0.5 inches).

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate various views of panty guard 300 with a POS 360for placement within thong underwear in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded perspective viewof the thong underwear 610 and the panty guard 300 with a POS 360. Thethong under wear includes a crotch portion 620, a waistband 630, and arear portion. To wear the panty guard 300, a user removes the cover 322,thereby exposing the adhesive of the bottom surface 320. Next, the userpresses the panty guard 300 onto the body-contacting side of the crotchportion 620 of the thong underwear 610. The panty guard 300 is placedwithin the thong underwear 610 without covering the anus. In the case ofa long length panty guard 300, the user places the panty guard 300within the thong underwear 610 to cover the anus.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of the panty guard 300 with a POS 360adhered to the crotch portion of the thong underwear 610 in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure. In the design of thongunderwear 610 shown, the seam 650 that joins the crotch portion 620 tothe rear portion 640 is hidden because the placement of the seam 650,disposed at a string width of the crotch portion 620, is more anteriorthan the posterior end 340 of the panty guard 300. That is, the userplaces the panty guard 300 over the seam 650 to reduce irritation. Inother designs of thong underwear, where the seam 650 is disposed at awider portion of the underwear, the user places the panty guard 300anterior to the seam 650, and the seam is visible.

Although various features have been shown in the figures and describedabove, various changes may be made to the figures. For example, thesize, shape, arrangement, and layout of components shown in FIGS. 3through 7 are for illustration only. Each component could have anysuitable size, shape, and dimensions, and multiple components could haveany suitable arrangement and layout. Also, various components in FIGS. 1through 7 could be combined, further subdivided, or omitted andadditional components could be added according to particular needs.Further, each component in a device or system could be implemented usingany suitable structure(s) for performing the described function(s).Although an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure has beendescribed in detail, those skilled in the art will understand thatvarious changes, substitutions, variations, and improvements disclosedherein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thedisclosure in its broadest form.

None of the description in the present application should be read asimplying that any particular element, step, or function is an essentialelement which must be included in the claim scope: the scope of patentedsubject matter is defined only by the allowed claims. Moreover, none ofthese claims are intended to invoke paragraph six of 35 USC §112 unlessthe exact words “means for” are followed by a participle.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A panty guard comprising: a bottom portion configured for adherence to a crotch of thong underwear; and a pelvic organ support (POS) positioned atop the bottom portion, the POS comprising a topography complementing external female genital organs, the topography having a perimeter at a cross section of a base portion of the POS extending just above the bottom portion that is contoured to a perimeter of the external female genital organs.
 22. The panty guard of claim 21, wherein the perimeter at the cross section of the base portion of the POS is the same shape as a perimeter at a cross section of a top portion of the POS.
 23. The panty guard of claim 22, wherein the perimeters are at least one of an oval ellipse or a lens.
 24. The panty guard of claim 21, wherein the topography is configured to resist daily prolapse of the external female genital organs.
 25. The panty guard of claim 21, wherein a top surface of the POS is configured for placement in physical contact with the external female genital organs.
 26. The panty guard of claim 21, wherein the bottom portion is a pad having an external perimeter based on at least one of an isosceles triangle or an isosceles trapezoid.
 27. A panty guard comprising: a bottom portion configured for adherence to a crotch of thong underwear; and a pelvic organ support (POS) positioned atop the bottom portion, the POS comprising topography complementing external female genital organs, the topography comprising a front slope corresponding to a height increase from an anterior end of the POS towards a thickest portion of the POS and a rear slope corresponding to a height increase from an posterior end of the POS apparatus towards the thickest portion of the POS.
 28. The panty guard of claim 27, wherein a perimeter at a cross section of a base portion of the POS is the same shape as a perimeter at a cross section of a top portion of the POS.
 29. The panty guard of claim 28, wherein the perimeters are at least one of an oval ellipse or a lens.
 30. The panty guard of claim 28, wherein the topography is configured to resist daily prolapse of the external female genital organs.
 31. The panty guard of claim 28, wherein a top surface of the POS is configured for placement in physical contact with the external female genital organs.
 32. The panty guard of claim 28, wherein the bottom portion is a pad having an external perimeter based on at least one of an isosceles triangle or an isosceles trapezoid.
 33. A pelvic organ support (POS) comprising: a frame containing filling material, the frame and filling material configured to maintain a shape of the POS and support a pelvic floor of a female, the shape comprising: a topography complementing external female genital organs, the topography comprising concentric vertical ascensions.
 34. The POS of claim 33, wherein the shapes of the concentric vertical ascensions are the same.
 35. The POS of claim 34, wherein the perimeters of the concentric vertical ascensions are at least one of an oval ellipse or a lens.
 36. The POS of claim 33, wherein the frame includes pores, and the filling material comprises an absorptive material that is configured to absorb fluid that flows through pores.
 37. The POS guard of claim 33, wherein a portion of the POS includes an anti-bacterial configured to prevent a spread of bacteria through the panty guard.
 38. The panty guard of claim 33, wherein the topography is configured to resist daily prolapse of the external female genital organs.
 39. The panty guard of claim 33, wherein a top surface of the POS is configured for placement in physical contact with the external female genital organs.
 40. The POS of claim 33, wherein the POS includes malleable material that rides comfortably against the external female genital organs. 